MUSIC
I also love MUSIC!
My favorite kinds of music are gospel and classical.
I like to play the piano (both classical & gospel music) and I
like to sing.
Gospel Music
I like pretty much all types of gospel music, from traditional to contemporary. I like choirs, groups, and solo artists. Currently, however, all my favorite CDs seem to be urban contemporary gospel.
Click HERE for a partial list of the gospel CDs I own.
My all-time favorite artists are:
Vanessa Bell Armstrong - I don't know anyone who can out-sing V.B.
The Clark Sisters - I'm a big fan of harmony, and these ladies have
TIGHT harmonies, and are unrivaled in the riffs they execute.
Daryl Coley - D. Coley is on par with V.B., he has an amazing range.
Andre Crouch - He revolutionized gospel...
Fred Hammond and Radical for Christ - He's new compared to my other
favorites, but he's extremely talented and anointed. One of the biggest
recommendations for Fred is that my dad, who is fairly intolerant of
contemporary gospel music (which I will admit, is sometimes void of Spirit),
likes Fred.
Walter Hawkins - Another founder of today's gospel choir sound.
Thomas Whitfield - The Maestro. Thomas Whitfield didn't get his props
when he was alive, but he was one of the most talented and spiritual musicians
of his time.
What's spinning in my car?
-Hero-Kirk Franklin. Wow! Amazing. Deep. There's so many tight
tracks, it's almost a shame to list just a few favorites. Seriously, Kirk has
outdone himself, and no album I've heard this year comes close to this one.
I think that the track Imagine Me is my personal anthem for this year.
Faves right now: Looking for You, Imagine Me, Without You, Sunshine.
-HTHAELHH-Adrianne Archie. An independent label neo-soul artist.
Each track is beautifully harmonically layered and speaks to my soul. I'm
really digging this album. Faves right now: Always on Time, It is Well,
HTHAELHH, Take It.
-Just Until-Kierra Kiki Sheard. A remix album just until the next
one drops. How I'm vibing to this... And usually I don't like remixes, but
all of these bring something new and worthwhile to the table. Includes one
new track. Faves right now: Sweetest Thing (Dutch Mix), You Don't Know
(Monsta's Mix), Let Go (The Godson Concept).
Sadly, the budget is tight, so new music purchases are on lock... I want to buy several already released albums: The Rose of Gospel - Dorinda Clark-Cole, Day by Day - Yolanda Adams, Expectancy - Jacky Jacky Clark-Chisholm, Lita Mae Show - Shei Atkins, It's Not Over... Live from Detroit - Karen Clark-Sheard, The Best is Yet to Come - Martha Munizzi, Mighty Wind - Andrae Crouch, More of You - Sunny Hawkins (with Jamie Hawkins).
Also, I'm waiting for these to come out: May 23, 2006: Victory Live! - Tye Tribbett & GA; June 27 2006: This is Me - Kierra "KiKi" Sheard; June 20, 2006: Testimony - Virtue!
Gospel Links
The Black Gospel Music Clef - a site for fans of gospel music as well as musicians. What I really like about the site is the fact that they have a Musician's Exchange Board. On this board, anyone can post questions they have about playing gospel music. They also post chords on this board. It loads kinda slow, but it's well worth the wait.
GospelFlava.com - a site with interviews with gospel artists, album reviews, & current news.
COGICMusic.com - Many of today's best artists are COGIC. This site has some useful links.
GospelCity.com - another gospel music industry info site
Gospel Radio Stations on the web - I haven't listened to these, but I put links so that I'll have some time to try them.
Live365.com -
Smooth Gospel Grooves (Contemporary Urban Gospel Music radio station)
A Blazin' Grace II
Sheet Music Vendors
I don't play by ear, so I'm always looking for sheet music.
'N' Time Music - a
Charlotte, NC based vendor of gospel music (exclusively, I think)
Dr.K.T Productions - a music
transcription
company, and they sell music which they transcribe.
Classical Music
I'm no expert on classical music, but I do know that nothing can relax you like a CD of Chopin. I'm partial to piano music, but I do enjoy a good symphony as well.
I tend to like music from the Romantic period best, so most of the songs I've played are from that period. I also have a tendency to like songs that are slow & in a minor key. I haven't played that much Classical music in my time taking lessons, so there are still a lot of songs I would love to learn to play. The pieces below are the classical piano pieces I have played during 4 of the years I took lessons (in the other 2 years, it was just introductory stuff in books, no actual pieces). The list is short.
I was taking lessons again after a LONG hiatus. I enjoyed them, but I couldn't devote enough time to practice. Maybe I'll get a life again after I graduate...
Some of the things I played:
Classical Links
Classical Net - this site
will give you a basic repertoire with which you can start a classical music
collection, as well as informative biographies on composers.
RainMusic.com - a great resource for musicians, lots of great links and informative articles.
8Notes.com - Directory of free sheet music on the internet. Even has the 3rd mvmt of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, which I will learn to play someday... The files are pdfs.
Music Theory & Ear Training
I've also become interested in music theory and ear training. The music that I enjoy most is gospel, and it's hard to play gospel if you don't play by ear or know theory, so I'm trying to learn a little. I was also wondering how much a person could improve their ear (a lot of people think that playing by ear is a gift, and you either have it or you don't, but some think that the ear can be trained). Anyway, here are the sites:
Last updated 29 January 2006